Web dispenser



Nov. 24, 1964 P. A. WOOSTER 3,158,304

WEB DISPENSER Filed July 27, 1961 F l E Ei INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,158,304 WEB DIPENSER Philip A. Wooster, 192 I St, San Rafael, Calif. Filed July 27, 1961, Ser. No. 128,930 2 Claims. (Cl. 225-74) This invention relates generally to devices suitable for dispensing material in web form, such as a paper toweling, waxed or glassine paper, and the like.

Paper toweling is Widely distributed in perforated and unperforated rolls. Perforated rolls are generally dispensed with simple holders which merely support the roll for rotation. The unperforated rolls are generally used with more elaborate dispensing apparatus, having means for dispensing the web in measured lengths. The mechanism employed for insuring withdrawal of sheets of measured lengths also serves to lock the roll against rotation during a tear-01f operation. Unperforated rolls may be wrapped more tightly, thus providing more material in a roll of a given size. Many possible applications of unperforated rolls are handicapped because of the expense of the more complicated dispensing devices required. The foregoing also applies to other materials in web form, such as wax paper, glassine paper, and the like.

In general it is an object of the invention to provide an improved roll dispensing apparatus suitable for various web materials, which is relatively simple and inexpensive and which is particularly adapted for use with unperforated material.

Another object of the invention is to provide dispensing apparatus of the above character having novel tear-off means in conjunction with automatic braking of the Web to facilitate a tear-01f operation, without locking the roll.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel tear-0T1 means of the type referred to above, which will insure a clean tear along a predetermined tear line.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel tear-off means of the type described above which is further characterized by the fact that it facilitates manual manipulation to feed an initial amount of the web to facilitate manual engagement for withdrawal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a .dispensing apparatus of the above character having novel mounting means for the roll, and which in particular provides a relatively strong and effective roll mounting means which is neat in appearance, and which occupies a minimum amount of space when not engaging a roll.

Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiments have been set forth in detail in con junction with the accompanying drawings:

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front view illustrating apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view of the right-hand end of the apparatus;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional View taken along the line 4-4- of FIGURE 1.

The dispensing apparatus illustrated in the drawing consists of a base structure it), which includes a back wall 11, the bottom wall 12, and the end walls 13. The walls 11 and 12 in this instance extend at right angles to each other, and the end walls 13 are spaced apart and disposed at right angles to the Walls 11 and 12. The end walls 13 preferably are triangular in configuration as shown particularly in FIGURE 2. The wall 11 may be attached to a vertical supporting wall. In most instances 3,158,304 Patented Nov. 24, 1964 the base structure will extend horizontally as shown in I FIGURE 1, although in some instances it may be disposed vertically. I

The row of supporting arms 16 and 17 have hinged connections 18 and 19 with their associated end walls 13. These hinge connections are between the bases of the arms and the inclined forward edges of the end walls 13. At least one of the arms, as for example arm 16, is provided with a spring 21 to urge the same into engagement with the roll 22. The hinged connections permit the two arms to be swung inwardly to a folded or out of the way position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1. When extended in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1, the arm 17 is provided with suitable stop means (not shown) whereby it receives the thrust of the spring urged arm 17 against the roll.

The roll 22 may be of paper toweling, or other material in web form. Instead of positioning the roll whereby the web 22a depends from the forward side of the roll, as is common in other roll dispensers, it is positioned whereby the web unwinds from the back of the roll. As the web leaves the roll it is disposed in cooperative relation with a special tear-off and braking means designated generally at 24. This tear-off means consists of a relatively rigid strip or bar 25 which in section is slightly cupped. In other words its rear face preferably is slightly concave. The lower edge 26 of the bar 25 is formed to facilitate its use as a tearing edge, and may be serrated as illustrated.

The upper edge portion of the bar 25 is pivotally supported to enable swinging movements transversely of its general plane. Thus the ends of the bar 25 are shown provided with rearwardly extending flanges 27, and the upper portion of each flange is attached by pivot rod 28 to the end flanges 29 on the wall 3t). Wall 319 is a tached to the forward edge of the bottom wall 12. Preferably the arrangement is such that normally gravity causes the bar to assume the position shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, assuming that the base structure 10 is mounted in a horizontal position. During a tear-off operation the pull applied to the paper web moves the bar to the forward position shown in FIGURE 3.

As shown in FIGURE 2 the web 22a is threaded through a slot 32 between the bar 25 and the wall 30. The upper edge 33 of the bar 25 move: toward the wall 30 when the bar 25 is swung forwardly, and for the tear off position shown in FIGURE 3, the edge 33 exerts clamping pressure against the web, whereby the web is braked or clamped against further movement. While the web is thus clamped, the operator can proceed to carry out a tear-off operation without further feeding of the paper.

The upper edge of bar 25 near its ends has forwardly bent portions 34 whereby the edge 33 does not engage the side margins of the web. This is an advantageous feature because it makes for a clean tear along a straight line at right angles to the edges of the web, whereas with the edge 33 constructed to engage from one edge of the web to the other, there would be a tendency for slippage to occur at the beginning of a tear-off operation, with the result that the tear might not be straight.

The tear-off bar 25 also serves to carry special manual 1 web feeding means. This means is in the form of a roller er 36 in regions near its ends. One or more springs 43 serve to urge the flap against the roller. The web 22a normally is positioned between the roller and the flap whereby it extends behind the roller.

By engaging the front exposedportion of the roller 36 with the thumb, and applying the forefinger to the web 22a in the region immediately behind the roller, the roller can be rotated in a direction to feed the web downwardly. In this manner a sufficient length of web can be fed downwardly to enable it to be grasped by the operator, after which the required length of web is Withdrawn preparatory to a tear-off operation. To facilitate threading, the back side of the bar carries a guide wall 45 which stands substantially the length of the roller and which directs the web to the back side of the roller.

The roll 22 may consist of a central tubular core 46 formed of cardboard, upon which the web is Wound. The free ends of the arms 16 and 17 are provided with means for engaging the core 46, thus permitting axial rotation. The arm 17 is shown provided with a tapered stud 57, which interfits one end of the core 46. The arm 16 is shown provided with a rotatable centering and engaging device, which utilizes the features of the roll engaging and centering device disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 830,247, filed July 29, 1959. Briefiy this device consists of a plurality of radially extending spurs or fins 47, adapted to interfit the radially extending slots formed in the corresponding end of the roll. The fins can be attached to a plate 49, which is rotatably connected by pin or bolt St} to the arm 16. By virtue of engagement of the spurs or fins 47 with the side surface of the slots 48, the device thus described is self-centering, irrespective of the diameter of the core 46.

Operation of my dispenser is as follows: Assuming that the paper roll 22 is engaged with the arms 16 and 17 in the manner illustrated in the drawing, the web is threaded manually through t e space 32 and down between the roller and the flap 4i. Normally the lower edge of the web 22a will be even with the lower edge of the bar 25, because of a preceding tear-off operation.

Assuming now that an operator desires to Withdraw a length of the web, he engages the roller 36 with his thumb, and simultaneously presses his forefinger against the web in the region where the web engages the rear side of the roller. Then by moving the thumb upwardly while at the same time moving the forefinger downwardly, the roll or is rotated manually to feed the Web downwardly until a sutlioient length has been exposed to be easily grasped by the operator. Thereafter the length of web desired is withdrawn from the roll, and the extended web portion pulled forwardly for a tear-off operation. Forward pull ing of the extended web portion moves the tear-off bar 25 to the position shown in FIGURE 3, whereby the web is gripped between the edge 33 and wall 39. The tear-off operation can now be completed without further movement of the web, and with a clean tear at right angles to the length of the web. Immediately after the tear-off op- 4 eration the bar 25 returns to the normal position shown in FIGURE 2, and the web is released.

Because of the manner in which arms 16 and 17 are hinged to the base structure, it is possible for these arms to be swung to collapsed or folded out of the way positions shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1. This provides a neat appearance when the dispenser does not carry a paper roll, and also facilitates packaging. Packaging is also facilitated by the fact that the bar 25 can be swung upwardly against the bottom Wall 12. The box-like construction of the dispenser makes for a strong and relatively rigid supporting means, which is simple and economical to manufacture. The triangular configuration of the end walls 13 facilitates support of the roll at a desired elevation, and at the same time makes it possible for the arms to fold within the structure it), when a roll is not engaged.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 771,362, filed November 3, 1958, now abandoned, and copending application Serial No. 838,326, filed September 4, 1959, now abandoned.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for dispensing webbing from a wound roll of the same, a pair of mounting means for rotatably supporting such a roll, an upright wall disposed between said mounting means, a tear off bar extending the length of the roll and pivoted with respect to said upright wall, said bar being disposed to overlie a length of webbing extending from the roll and passing between said upright wall and the bar, a tear off edge extending along one edge of the bar, a braking surface adjacent the opposite edge of the bar, said braking surface of the bar being positioned in proximity with said upright wall whereby upon pivotal movement of the bar by a paper tear off operation said braking surface is urged toward the upright wall, such that a length of webbing passing between the upright wall and the bar is clamped therebetween and braked against further movement.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 together with manual webbing feed means carried by said bar, said webbing feed means comprising a roller carried by the bar, the roller having a portion thereof exposed for manual engagement at the front side of the bar and a portion exposed for contact with the webbing at that side of the roller remote 'from the bar, guide means on said bar for directing the webbing to the remote side of the roller and means on said bar for urging the webbing against the remote side of the roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,125,754 Steiner Aug. 2, 1938 2,337,655 Gordy Dec. 28, 1943 2,819,136 Jones et al. Jan. 7, 1958 2,890,676 Waldschmidt June 16, 1959 3 ,040,943 Bump lune 26, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 136,853 Sweden Aug. 12, 1952 

1. IN APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING WEBBING FROM A WOUND ROLL OF THE SAME, A PAIR OF MOUNTING MEANS FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SUCH A ROLL, AN UPRIGHT WALL DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID MOUNTING MEANS, A TEAR OFF BAR EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF THE ROLL AND PIVOTED WITH RESPECT TO SAID UPRIGHT WALL, SAID BAR BEING DISPOSED TO OVERLIE A LENGTH OF WEBBING EXTENDING FROM THE ROLL AND PASSING BETWEEN SAID UPRIGHT WALL AND THE BAR, A TEAR OFF EDGE EXTENDING ALONG ONE EDGE OF THE BAR, A BRAKING SURFACE ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE EDGE OF THE BAR, SAID BRAKING SURFACE OF THE BAR BEING POSITIONED IN PROXIMITY WITH SAID UPRIGHT WALL WHEREBY UPON PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF THE BAR BY A PAPER TEAR OFF OPERATION SAID BRAKING SURFACE IS URGED TOWARD THE UPRIGHT WALL, SUCH THAT A LENGTH OF WEBBING PASSING BETWEEN THE UPRIGHT WALL AND THE BAR IS CLAMPED THEREBETWEEN AND BRAKED AGAINST FURTHER MOVEMENT. 